adminLONDON. – Swiss tennis star Stanislas Wawrinka got first use of one of illustrious compatriot Roger Federer’s favourite stages on Monday and seized the spotlight to open his ATP World Tour Finals campaign in style with a 6-3 6-7(0) 6-3 victory over Czech Tomas Berdych.
Having outshone fellow Swiss and 17-times grand-slam champion Federer at this year’s US Open, Wawrinka showed he belonged in the elite season-ender with a dazzling performance at the 02 Arena to edge out fifth seed Berdych in two hours 25 minutes.
Wawrinka’s run to a first grand slam semi-final in New York helped him to establish himself in the world’s top 10 and he came into the tournament ranked eighth, one place behind Federer who started his quest for a third title in five years in London yesterday against defending champion and world number two Novak Djokovic.
The 28-year-old looked completely at home in the 17 000-seat arena, seizing the initiative in the opening set of the Group A game with the kind of risk-taking tennis that stretched Djokovic to the limit in two epic, if ultimately vain, grand-slam battles this year.
He pocketed the opening set confidently with one break of serve and still looked the better player in the second set as Berdych, the only player in the eight-man draw without a title this year, held on grimly. Wawrinka buckled in the second set tie-break when he failed to score a point but went straight back on the attack, breaking in the fourth game of the decider. – SuperTennis.
Online Reporter